What the deuce?

Ruby is loving her walks. We started going on a 15 minute route around the block on Saturday and have done it each day since. When I say 15 minutes, it would take that long at a constant brisk walking pace. Obviously a puppy wants to stop and check out everything so it is taking a lot longer.

Each time I take Ruby out, she is getting better at paying attention to me. She still stops every time a car goes by but appears less frightened. In fact she tends to prick up her ears, wait for the car to go by and then try to chase it. Today, she was really good at obeying "wait". As soon as she made to pull in the direction of a car, I told her to wait. Most times it would do the trick.

I've also been practicing the "heel" command. It's having some limited success but doesn't tend to work on the roadside as there is so much going on. She just ploughs ahead in a determined fashion. Until she decides there is an interesting smell somewhere.

On the path between the 2 main roads, she changes and tonight she walked right beside me with a loose lead (for most of the way).

Ribbit

At one point, she stopped to sniff what I thought was a pile of dog poop. Turns out it was a frog that had decided to come and sit on the path in the rain.

Ruby was really interested but thankfully didn't make any attempt to bite or grab the frog. She just seemed curious.

We left froggy to his amphibious musings and carried on our way. As the weather was pretty blustery, there was nobody else around so we didn't get a chance to stop and talk to any other humans. 

Once again, having got home, Ruby went straight to the back door and wanted to go out to toilet. She has not associated going for a walk with doing her business. Not that I mind. Even though I go armed with poop bags, it suits me if she holds it until we get home. I can then clean it up at my leisure and I don't have to walk the rest of the way carrying a bag of dog poo.

Yes. I'm a pooping in your
strawberry tub

Tonight,  she pooped in unusual spots. Normally she will go into a quiet corner of the undergrowth. But tonight she did one poop on the limestones and a second one in the strawberry tub. Yes, she jumped into the planter and promptly pooped one down in what was left of the strawberry plants. I've no idea why she did this.

Last night and this morning, Ruby went into her crate on command. Not the first time I told her, but after repeating a couple of times, she just got in and laid down. She was being left for a couple of hours this morning so I gave her a Kong with treats/peanut butter inside so she would have something to do. When my mum got there, she was 'happy as Larry'.

I'm about to give the dog training club a call as she can start puppy classes next Monday. The car crate has been despatched so it should be all systems go.